Note: It's been 2 months. This chapter is about 11k. Have fun!

Warnings: Yelling, cursing, mentions of kidnapping

The soft tones of Patton's alarm pulled him from his sleep at the exact time it did every morning, bright and early before anyone else even stirred. He rolled over and shut it off before blinking and taking in the sun barely peeking through his window. It was his day off, but that usually didn't keep him in bed for too long. Going through the list of things he had to do today, Patton stared up at the ceiling, not reaching for his glasses or even making an attempt to get up.

Usually, the mornings started with Patton making breakfast for everyone. While it wasn't something he did every day, it was pretty standard for his days off at least. Someone else would then make dinner those days as a trade-off. Then he would pick up around the apartment a bit, perhaps go out and enjoy the weather or stay inside with a movie. Two and Three could join him on the couch and they could all talk about whatever they had chosen to watch. Though, more and more recently, it felt like Patton pushed those relaxing moments to the side in favor of a never ending backlog of chores that needed tending to soon.

But Patton didn't move. He knew he had laundry piling up. He knew he could run to the store for a few more things. He knew he would already be up before the others to make breakfast for everyone. They were things Patton did almost every day, but today, he did not move. Instead, Patton rolled over, pulling in his blanket closer, and closed his eyes once more.

It was the sound of noise in the kitchen that awoke him the second time. Bleary eyes tried to focus on anything as Patton groaned and stretched, staring at the clock in hopes he could figure out what time it was. Reaching for his glasses, he blinked and noticed about two hours had passed since he had shut off his alarm and the sun shined from a much higher position in the sky and through his window. Despite the fact, he didn't want to get up just yet; the lack of energy and motivation weighed heavier on him today than it normally would.

Yesterday's events with his mother and Logan started to creep back into the forefront of his mind. It had been a bit rough and the whole situation just left Patton exhausted. He was glad Logan stood up for him, absolutely! He was less thrilled that it was because of his own mother.

Patton loved his mom and he knew she loved him back without question. There wasn't a doubt in his mind about that! She was always the first one to help him out when he needed a hand and she always called to make sure he was doing okay, letting him know that there will always be room for him in case something bad happened. Then there was her attitude toward his powers and the Patton Pals...

"Oh, Patton sweetie, it's mom. This is you, right? You know what I mean. It's the real you, right?"

His mom wasn't perfect and he understood her worries. When she sat him down as a child and explained that not everyone would understand his abilities, it was out of love. When she told him that people would hurt him for being who he was, she meant it to protect him. She would never do anything to hurt him. Not physically, and definitely not on purpose. Patton shut his eyes, feeling a headache starting to form as he rubbed his head. The last thing he needed on top of everything else was a headache.

Patton lay, debating whether or not he should get up, before the sound of laughter from the kitchen made up his mind. Sulking in his room all day after everything that had happened the day before wasn't how he wanted to spend his time, and Roman's loud, boisterous laughter was something he could enjoy to cheer himself up.

The blanket from his bed was coming with him, though.

"I told you to sit down," a voice called out from the kitchen as Patton approached. It sounded tired and slightly irritated, just like Virgil on mornings in which he hadn't slept nearly enough. Patton walked in, pulling his blanket from his bed around him tighter and spotted Roman sitting at the dining table in a huff as Virgil was at the stove, cooking. "It'll be done in a minute."

Roman leaned back in his chair and looked up, spotting Patton standing in the doorway. "Hey, Pat!" Virgil stopped and turned to look over his shoulder, smiling. "You sleep okay?"

Patton's response was a shrug before he walked across the kitchen to see what Virgil was cooking. "Yeah, sorry. I kind of slept in," He spotted a perfectly sized pancake sitting in the pan, a small stack on a plate on the countertop next to them. "I can take over if you want."

Virgil watched Patton closely, his eyes trailing up to the terrible bedhead and back down to the blanket wrapped around him before shaking his head. "Nah, I got it."

"Are you sure?"

Virgil flipped the pancake before moving it to the finished stack and turning back to Patton. "Do you really want to cook instead of staying in that warm blanket?" Patton shuffled his feet and went to answer before stopping and shaking his head slightly. He knew better than to try and lie to Virgil, and he really wasn't feeling up to it, that much was obvious. "Then sit down and I'll bring you a plate."

Despite the complaints Roman was giving just before Patton had walked in, he was silent when Virgil placed down a plate of pancakes on the table for Patton to eat first. He frowned and pulled his arms out of his blanket before pushing the plate towards Roman.

"Oh, no you don't," Roman pushed the plate back across the table. "We've had Virgil's pancakes before, remember? They're super good and worth the wait. Go ahead."

Patton smiled and gave in, not really in the mood to argue, especially knowing he wouldn't win. "Thanks, Roman. It's nice to be served breakfast once in a while."

"I thought you liked cooking breakfast?" Patton looked over to Virgil as he stared back confused, before flipping over the pancake he had cooking. "You are always up before all of us to make it."

"Well, yeah, but..." Patton paused, poking at the fluffy pancake. "It's nice to not have to cook every day, you know?"

"Patton," The tone of Roman's voice caused him to look up apprehensively, Roman's serious expression justifying his worry. He leaned in closer to Patton and stared him down with a pout. "Answer me honestly. Do you even like cooking breakfast?"

"Of course!" He smiled at Roman. "You all enjoy it and it's worth seeing you all happy and knowing you're all fed for the day!"

"But do you enjoy cooking it?" Patton's smile faltered and Roman leaned back with a sigh, getting his answer. "Patton, if you don't like cooking every day, why do you do it?"

"I didn't say-" Roman shot him a look that caused him to stutter. "W-well, because..." Patton licked his lips, suddenly realizing how dry his mouth was. "It makes you guys happy."

"That's it," Virgil finally chimed in, placing Roman's pancakes on the table with a little more force than necessary. "Starting from today, you are banned from cooking anyone else besides yourself breakfast!"

"Virgil-"

"No! No arguing over this, we're all adults. We can cook for ourselves; you need to take care of yourself, Patton." Virgil leaned on the table and Roman pulled his plate closer and out of the way, looking at the pancakes like they were a precious treasure. "You don't have to look out for us, especially since you're so bad at doing it for yourself."

"He's got a point, padre," Roman reached for the syrup and started to drown his pancakes. "Just wait until Logan comes back out for a new cup of coffee and we tell him you've been doing all these extra chores that you don't like."

"It's not that I don't like them!" Patton tugged on his blanket that he was sitting on and laid across his lap. "It's just... I could use a nice distraction once in a while and they have to get done."

"No excuses! Now, sit and eat those pancakes. If I see you or any of the Pals doing chores today, you'll have to deal with me," Virgil pushed off of the table and went back to the stove to make more pancakes, Roman digging in and letting out a sigh of contentment as he took his first bite.

Patton gave in and started eating, enjoying the pancakes as they tasted just as good as they had looked. They ate in relative silence, Virgil eating his pancakes by rolling them up and dipping them in syrup, much to Roman's chagrin.

"That is not the proper way to eat a pancake!" Roman scolded. In response, Virgil looked up and smirked, lifting up the pancake he had been currently eating and moving it over his glass of orange juice. "Wait, no. Don't you dare-" Virgil happily dunked his pancake and tapped it against the side of the glass to stop the dripping before taking a bite. "Eww, that is foul! Why are you like this?"

Patton laughed and enjoyed his meal while watching his roommates bicker back and forth. He stood up and went to wash his plate until Roman shot out of his chair. He took the dishes from Patton's hands and told him to go sit down before walking to the sink to rinse them off. Patton went to complain before Virgil cleared his throat to get his attention, shooting him a look. Not one to argue, Patton sighed and gave in, taking his comfy blanket and pulling it close, walking over to the couch in the living room.

Roman walked out and smiled at Patton. "You just gonna sit there all day? You deserve some time to relax, ya know."

Patton shrugged and fell over, wrapping himself up like a blanket burrito and smiling up at Roman. "Probably not all day, but relaxing a bit wouldn't hurt."

"Good," Virgil walked in and smiled at Patton. "If I find out you've done any chores, I won't hesitate to time travel back here if you do."

"You wouldn't pop in on your pop, would you?" Virgil snorted out a short laugh and went into his room with a wave to get ready for work. "Well, you have to work as well, right Roman?"

"Yes, unfortunately. Logan as well, so you'll have the whole place to yourself for a bit. Speaking of, I should probably get going." Roman walked over near the front door to his shoes and shoved them on. "Do rest for a while, Patton. At least just for today, please?" Roman watched Patton shift and pull his legs closer, still wrapped in the warm blanket. Once he saw the slight nod, Roman smirked and waved goodbye, heading for the door. He paused as he passed by Virgil's door before knocking. "Virgil, dearest, I am off! I will count the minutes until we meet again!"

"Just go to work, Roman," Virgil called from behind the door, offending his boyfriend. Roman jokingly huffed and turned, walking out the front door.

Patton watched the door clicked shut behind Roman before losing himself in his thoughts. He knew how to relax, of course; it wasn't like he was always running around and keeping himself busy. Yet, this time felt different somehow. Everything felt like it took more out of him to do today. Simply getting up and eating and getting to the couch felt like it took twice as much effort than it should have. He felt heavy, and it wasn't the blanket he wrapped himself in. The blanket was warm and comforting to him as he sat there wrapped up and resting, but he could already feel the itch to move. To get up and search the house for something to do, perhaps buy groceries they didn't necessarily need, clean up a mess he didn't make. When had he changed like this? Where just after a few minutes of sitting around, he started thinking of things to distract himself?

The creaking of a door opening pulled Patton out of his thoughts, watching as Virgil carefully closed the door while slinging a backpack over his shoulder. Virgil always brought the bag to work to stash his hoodie away when he had to do more heavy lifting, but Patton hadn't really ever seen him take it off. "Alright." Virgil shifted the strap on his shoulder and gave a small salute to Patton on the couch. "I'm out. I hope you don't get too bored, okay? Call me if you need anything."

Patton gave a nod and smiled before reaching out to the coffee table for the remote to turn on the TV. Virgil quickly headed out the door to work in order to let Patton enjoy some alone time.

Virgil stepped out onto the porch and caught a glimpse to his left before pulling the door behind him shut. He stood in his spot as his eyes swept over the empty porch a few times, checking for whatever he had seen. Virgil took a step away from the door, still looking to the other side of the porch, before letting out a sigh. "I saw you, there's no point in hiding."

It took just long enough that Virgil started to doubt himself before Clyde suddenly appeared on the porch, dropping his invisibility. "Well, aren't you so clever?"

"Trying to hide from someone?"

Clyde scrunched his nose in distaste before turning back to watch the road, leaning on the railing. "Not you, my aunt. She can be so wonderful and supportive and it's nice and utterly suffocating." Clyde glared as he stared out at nothing. "I just needed to get away, not that you care."

"Who said I don't care?"

Clyde pushed himself off of the railing and looked at Virgil, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "Oh?" Clearing his throat, he placed his hand on his chest and took a deep breath. "You do anything I don't like, I'm leaving you in frozen time." Virgil blinked back, his jaw dropping. That was his voice! Or at least, it sounded a lot like it, but it came from Clyde? "That sound familiar to you?"

"Holy hell, how did you do that?" Virgil perked up as he grew excited as his mind started to come up with possibilities. "Is that a part of your power? You can look and sound like other people?!"

With a scoff, Clyde turned away and shook his head. "As if. I just learned how to imitate people's voices, it helps with the impersonations if I also mimic their voices."

"So it's just a normal skill? Wait, is that how you tricked Patton into thinking you were Logan?"

"Well, obviously," Clyde easily switched into his Logan impression, his mannerisms changing with it as well as he straightened out his back and pretended to adjust a tie he was not wearing. " That can only be the most logical solution, could it not? "

Virgil felt his hair stand on end as he shivered. "That's... really impressive, actually."

"You're not welcome," the younger man turned back to lean on the banister and stare out at the road. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"I can make time," Virgil smirked as he earned a scoff from the teen who then rolled his eyes. "So if it's not part of your powers, is there anything else cool you can do?"

Clyde turned and watched Virgil curiously before shaking his head. "Why do you care?"

"Oh, come on! Superpowers are cool, and you kind of already know all about mine, remember? Only seems fair."

Shaking his head, Clyde pushed off of the banister once more and walked over to Virgil slowly and carefully, almost as if he was afraid the other would lash out at him at any moment. "I was under the impression you hated having powers?"

"Oh," Virgil frowned and shoved his hands in his pockets, feeling the strap of his backpack threatening to fall. "Well, I just don't personally like having them myself, you know? Like, society already has enough things to hate me for. Just look at me. I like to wear punk clothing, I'm a bi dude dating a guy..." He reached for the strap of his backpack and grabbed it, pulling it back up higher on his shoulder as it had started to slide. "Having powers really doesn't help."

"And yet..." Clyde turned and started walking back to the other end of the porch. "And yet you give them things to be mad at us about. You let Roman run around like a buffoon in a mask."

"Hey, that's my boyfriend you're talking about! Besides, he's just helping-"

"How is that helping anyone?!" Clyde sneered, baring his teeth as he spoke. "People will come after him, then us! They won't stop, and he will slip up! He will get caught and we're just one step away! After us, who else is next? We can't be the only people in the world with abilities! We are drastically, hopelessly outnumbered and it's all because one person can't contain his stupid ego!"

Clyde hasn't realized when he started yelling, but now that he had finished his tangent, he couldn't seem to catch his breath. Looking over at Virgil, he froze. He couldn't tell if the man was angry or not, his expression stoic as he stared back. Virgil went to speak and Clyde flinched, stepping back and expecting the worst. The action caused Virgil to hesitate a moment before speaking.

"I'm not saying I agree with Roman. I'd rather pretend I live a normal life like I didn't have powers, but I do. You can understand where he's coming from. He feels outnumbered and he wants to prove himself to anyone who will listen that we aren't wrong or freaks, whether they believe us or not. That's the reality we live in." Listening to Virgil closely, Clyde loosened up a bit. "Society will find ways to damn us, whether we had these abilities or not, so there's no use in pretending and blaming our powers for everything. Besides, Logan thinks they were formed based on our wishes when we were younger. You can't say you never have used them and you can't say you will stop, because I've tried." Virgil's voice cracked a pinch and he cleared his throat as he continued on. "I tried living without them, so has Patton and so has Logan, and you know what? You can't just stop forever, because they're a part of you. Whether you want them to be or not."

The door to Virgil's apartment opened up and Logan walked out, his polo and tie signifying he was headed to work at the bookstore. Logan paused and looked between the two before staring at Virgil, who had not turned away from Clyde. "Virgil? I thought you had already left, you'll be late for work."

"I can manage, don't worry." With that, Virgil vanished in an instant between the two, Logan a bit shocked he had so openly used his abilities without hesitation in front of someone else, even if they knew about them.

"Well, then," Logan glanced at Clyde and nodded his head in a greeting. "I must be off, do try and stay out of trouble." Logan turned and walked down the few steps connecting the porch to the sidewalk, not even sparing a second glance back at the teen.

---

Patton had given up flipping through the channels, instead just leaving the TV on for background noise while he scrolled through his phone. That lasted about ten minutes before he dropped it and let out a loud groan, pulling the blanket up to cover his face. He was so bored and lonely and everyone else was at work except for him! Why did he have to have today off of all days? He knows he told Virgil he would rest, but he was so stir crazy, it wasn't helping .

"Come on, there's got to be something I can do!" Patton sat up and shut his eyes, the familiar warmth and bright light he was used to as he split apart off into his Pals. He blinked and looked over at Two and Three holding on to each other to make sure neither fell. "Guuuuuys, I'm bored."

"Yeah, so are we!" Two let go of Three who brushed himself off. "We are parts of you, remember?"

"Yeah, but maybe we can do stuff together!"

Three reached over for the remote and started flipping through the channels as Patton had done earlier. "Like what?"

Patton shrugged and looked up at Two with an inquisitive look. "What do you suggest?"

"I am literally a part of you, why would I have an idea if you don't?" Patton started to frown and Two sighed. "Okay, sorry, I know. That was mean. Um, we could... just talk a bit?"

"Hey, Patton." Three turned and smiled at the other two. "Remember when we were younger and you made me and Two kiss because you wanted to know what it would be like?"

Patton flushed and his face grew beet red before he jumped up and stuck out his hand, pulling Three back in and causing the remote to drop to the floor. "We don't have to talk about that!"

Two snickered and looked to the television, watching as the news headline scrolled across the screen. "Hey, they're doing a report on Roman, I think."

Patton watched as Two picked up the remote and turned up the volume a bit.

"-claims that the Prince could be potentially dangerous. While most reports around the masked crusader are usually those thanking him for his actions, there have been small instances where people have claimed that they have been attacked by the vigilante. With conflicting reports from both sides and Prince Charging nowhere in sight to defend himself, it seems most people have been split down the middle. While it seems most of the city praises the vigilante for his actions, there is a group against him that is calling for his arrest stating that his actions are unlawful and putting others at risk. Our sources-"

Patton reached for the remote and Two quickly handed it over to prevent from being pulled back in. The television shut off and they stared at the blank screen reflecting their images back at them.

"Virgil said to relax." Patton tossed the remote onto the couch where he had abandoned his blanket. "So enough of that for now."

"Yeah," Two nodded, still staring at the blank screen. "Yeah, that's probably for the best. We can worry about what that group is up to another day."

That group. Patton frowned and Two felt the heavy pit in both of their stomachs. It wasn't just 'that group' anymore, was it? Not after their discovery last night. Patton would rather stay a little ignorant about what his mother was up to in her spare time, at least, for now.

---

"Margaret, you're back!"

Maggie smiled as she was welcomed warmly after entering the building. They had stopped just holding meetings and had started to use this spare office space one of the members had access to as sort of a base of operations. The more Prince Charging was active, the more they realized weekly meetings would no longer be able to cut it.

Maggie smiled and greeted everyone like she always did, though this time with a heavy weight of guilt on her. Each face was an acquaintance, or perhaps a friend she had met over the past few weeks. That was the lie she told herself every time she came in. They were also after someone just like her son. Logan's words sat in the back of her mind, making her feel anxious for a future she was unsure of. After Prince Charging, would Patton and Logan be next? Who was to say it stopped there? Why should it get that far? This Prince must have been another poor mother's son, surely. What does she think? What about the Prince; what was he after? Did he really think what he was doing was helping others? She wasn't sure, and she still wasn't ready to believe that to be the truth.

Maggie stopped and stared at the big map they had posted on the wall. Across were pins that marked places Prince Charging had been spotted. A few businesses, some random back roads, an alley here or there. It was sporadic, but over time, some places seemed more active than others. It was already showing a pattern of where he frequented and where he could be found. She was unsure of what they planned on doing with this information as it wasn't as openly discussed, but she started to feel uneasy about it now. Why was it such a secret that they didn't discuss it? More importantly, why did she seem okay with that up until now? Always following and never questioning, believing in what she was doing to be right.

"Looks good, hmm?" Maggie looked up to the balding man that stood taller than her as he brushed his scruffy, peppered gray mustache. "He probably lives on the east side of the city and travels every night. It's enough to make a plan in case we do run into him again."

"Again?"

The man nodded and smiled, though it quickly fell off his face. "Didn't go great, but I think the encounter proved a point I was unsure of."

Maggie turned back to the board and looked at the east side of the city, her eyes looking for the neighborhood Patton lived on. Did Prince Charging live near them? Had she passed him on the streets and never notice? Perhaps driven by his residence without knowing? "What did it prove?"

"They jumped and tasered him." The man turned to Maggie and sneered. "It had no effect , which definitely proves my theory about what I've been saying this whole time. He's not normal, he's not using a weapon. He is one, and that makes him dangerous."

"No effect at all?" Maggie stared at the map with a look of worry. "That means he definitely has powers! Oh, you were right! My poor boy lives on the east side, I do hope he's okay."

The man placed a hand on her shoulder, rubbing it comfortingly. "Don't worry, we'll make sure he is. We will make sure your boy is safe."

That's all a mother ever wants, all Maggie ever wanted. To make sure Patton would be safe . With this group, now she can make sure he will be.

"Thank you."

---

Logan was a patient man and on most days, he did enjoy his job at the bookstore. Today, however, was a day that felt doomed from the start. Patton told Logan not to worry about him, but seeing his boyfriend wrapped up and obviously in distress on the couch left him doing the opposite. He was trying his best to not walk off and make a personal call to check in on him and allowed Patton a bit of time to actually rest, trusting he would keep to his word.

He had hoped walking into work would be a nice distraction, but that was not the case. It was a headache and a half from the moment he walked in. Logan wished his job was simply sorting through books like he had hoped when he was hired, but days like today liked to test the limits of his patience.

"What do you mean you don't sell it? When will you get more?"

Logan took in a deep breath through his nose. "Ma'am, as I have explained before, we do not sell e-readers here. You need to go to a bigger store, one run by a company."

"I was told I could get one if I went to the bookstore!"

"As I have explained, not every bookstore sells them, you must-"

"I want a manager!" Logan watched the woman turn smug as she spoke. "Where is he? You obviously don't know anything."

He had a bit of a temper and he knew it, but he did not want to indulge himself in such bad habits. He was also the only one there, the owner has stepped out like they normally do, trusting Logan to take care of the place on his own.

"Ma'am, I am the only one here right now-"

"Then help me already!"

"Um, excuse me?" Logan turned toward the voice and found another customer holding a blank journal. "Could you ring me up?"

The woman Logan was being lectured by gasped and stomped her foot. "He's a little busy at the moment!"

"I need this job," whispering to himself, Logan rubbed at his eyes. "I need this job, I need this job, I need this job..."

Logan was thrilled things hadn't escalated further. The woman had eventually gotten fed up, spat out a few nasty parting words, and left. Logan thanked the other customer who had been helpful in getting through to the woman in a manner Logan could not. After that, he was fairly sure he was alone in the bookstore by himself for a moment and decided to take advantage.

Most people walked by the bookstore; some would come in and browse and not purchase anything; others already knew exactly what they wanted. This left Logan with a lot of time to organize and clean and attempt to keep busy. However, for the past few days, one thing has been eating away at him and now that he was alone with his thoughts, he couldn't think of anything else.

Patton had spelled it out for him; Thomas wasn't improving when training with him because Thomas wasn't understanding. Logan wasn't explaining anything, he was too lost in his own wants and needs, he hadn't realized he wasn't helping Thomas at all. Logan had been pushing him to the point that Thomas wanted to stop and back away from everything for a while. Logan had the one thing he'd wanted for the past decade at his fingertips and he completely ruined it for himself.

Not to mention, his relationship with Thomas had been rather strange from the beginning. He had approached Logan first, explaining their powers and how they weren't alone. Logan had been sure he would be given a nervous yet excited response, not the confusion and fear that had left Logan's memories of the day wiped clean.

Though, that day did help him experience what his parents had gone through a bit, which helped him when he tried pulling Thomas' memories back after wiping them clean. He still remembered it, vaguely. The adrenaline of that day made it a blur when he thought back to it. The blue glow that filled the room from Logan's own eyes, desperate to accomplish anything. To fix the mistake he made a second time. To bring any trace of Thomas back to the surface.

Enough of that, Logan didn't want to go down that route. That whole incident a few months back with that... creature... had left them all a bit traumatized and on end. And he didn't even want to think about how how the experience had left Patton and Virgil feeling.

Logan pulled out his phone and stared at it for a few moments before pulling up Thomas' number. Should he call or text? He had hardly any contact with him, virtually none outside of training his abilities. Would Thomas want to even talk to him? A text could be better, but what would Logan even say? He stared at the phone icon, then tapped it and held his phone to his ear before he could decide to back out.

As it rang, Logan felt his heart race and he inhaled deeply, trying to slow it down. He got Thomas' voicemail, which he wasn't too surprised by, before the eventual 'beep' telling him to leave a message.

"Thomas. This is Logan. I would just like to, ah..." Logan felt his mouth quickly run dry and was glad the bookstore was barren on the early weekday morning. "I want to apologize. After talking to Patton, I realize my behavior towards you has been... abhorrent." Logan huffed out a small sigh and shook his head. "You do not have to call me back, just know that if you ever need practice with your abilities again, the others will be there for you. Thank you for your time."

He quickly hung up and tossed his phone under a counter, his hands shaking a bit though he couldn't figure out why. The whole situation left him rather uncomfortable and he suddenly felt the urge to sweep the entire store once more, just to keep moving. Was this what Patton felt like when he couldn't stop cleaning? It was terrible, cleaning just for the sake of doing something to keep oneself distracted. Logan decided, as he also grabbed a duster, to think of something they could both do together to try and relax. They both certainly seemed to need it, and he had an idea already.

---

"I'm booooored." Patton had his blanket on the floor, spread out so he could lie on top of it. "I need something to dooooo."

"Don't look at me!" Patton looked up at Two and Three who stared at one another. Two was the one who spoke with Three looking over at him at a loss for ideas as well. "I don't have any ideas!"

"Guys, just chill out! This is the best part about relaxing, you don't have to do anything!" Patton rolled his head over and watched Four from the couch. Five sat next to him, both were just leaned back and sitting together. "Besides, nothing bad can happen to Three if we just don't go outside."

"Hey!" Three huffed and crossed his arms. "It's not my fault bad stuff keeps happening to me!"

Five shifted on the couch and sat up a bit. "Of course it's not! But I'm happy knowing you're safe with all of us here."

"That's because you two are like best friends or something," Four mumbled to himself, leaning over to rest against the armrest. "Still makes him the damsel in distress out of all of us."

Three huffed and crossed his arms. "At least I'd look great in a dress!"

"Well, I would look better in one." Seven walked out of the kitchen with a cup of tea for himself. "I mean, I am the pretty one."

"That's enough, Seven," Patton called from his spot on the floor. "We're all equally pretty. You don't need to bring the others down to lift yourself up."

Seven rolled his eyes and Patton looked around the room once more. Two and Three on the floor against the wall, Four and Five on the couch, Seven coming in from the kitchen... "Where's Six?"

"Tadaaa~!" Six walked out from the hallway wearing one of Patton's cardigans and one of Logan's button down shirts underneath. "Well? How do I look?"

"Ohh, so cute!" Two chimed in, Three agreeing with him.

"Did you take that from Logan without asking?" Seven questioned, eyeing the shirt. "I mean, it looks nice, but shouldn't we ask?"

"On it!" Patton pulled out his phone and started typing out a text message. "Oh! That gives me a great idea!"

All the Pals looked at one another and smiled as everyone got the same idea.

"Makeovers!"

When Virgil got home that evening, he opened the door to a mess. The coffee table was pushed to the side and cushions from the couch were placed in a line coming from Patton's bedroom. Clothes were thrown everywhere and a few Pals were picking up the mess while one laid on the couch staring at the television.

"Virgil?" one of them called out. Soon, half a dozen more appeared, all looking at him and smiling. "Hey, guys, Virgil's home!"

"What is this?" Virgil carefully walked across the living room floor, attempting to not step on anything. "You have fun?"

"We did makeovers and had a fashion show!" one of the Pals shouted excitedly, completely decked out in Logan's clothes. A TARDIS shirt with a tie and formal pants that didn't really seem to fit, but the Pal pulled it off, especially with his hair slicked back.

"I can see that. Looks like you had a nice day."

"We did!" said another. Virgil's head was almost spinning with all the Pattons around him. "It's all thanks to you, Virgil!"

"Yeah, thanks, Virgil!"

"You're the best!"

"Love ya, Virge!"

"Okay, okay!" Virgil laughed and held up his hands as he started to blush, the praise starting to overwhelm him. "You're welcome, don't thank me too much."

"Nonsense." A Patton walked up and wrapped Virgil in a hug. "I needed it, thank you." Patton pulled back and smiled. "I think a lot has just been piling on and I hadn't realized how much it was affecting me."

"Of course, Pat. You're my best friend, and I'm not one to talk. I was doing the exact same thing."

The soft moment was broken as another Patton walked up. "Pat, move! We wanna give Virgil hugs and we can't if you're there!"

Apparently, the one Virgil was talking to was the original Patton, Virgil discovered, as the original laughed and backed away for his Pals to get in closer. "Okay, but be careful!"

"Yeah, don't overwhelm him, we know! He's our best friend, too!"

"Oof, man. How did I suddenly get so many best friends?" Virgil joked as the Pal in front of him opened his arms, silently asking for a hug. "I'm gonna be all hugged out after this."

---

That evening was a flurry of activity in their apartment. Not wanting to overwhelm Virgil too much, the Pals immediately let him go to his room at the first sign of distress, for which he was grateful. He stated as much, earning a chorus of coos from the Pattons in the living room.

When Roman returned home, most of the mess had been cleared up. Roman had then quickly discovered the plethora of Pattons as the Pals were delighted to greet him. The Pals were quick to give their love to their roommate personally one by one. Roman adored the praise he got, hugging each and every Patton Pal and spinning them around. Most let out a laugh, though Five shrieked in surprise and Six complained a bit. Seven almost refused to let go before the others all shot him a look.

When Logan got home, it was to a bit of a surprise. Six was still dressed in his clothes and Logan couldn't help but comment on how well he looked, which almost caused another fashion show of all of them wearing Logan's clothes. Even Patton was excited about the idea, but Roman and Logan managed to get them to calm down.

They all said their parting words before walking over to Patton and disappearing in their own flash of light. Six was the last to go, having to change back into his own clothes first and winking at Logan, waving goodbye.

Suddenly being surrounded by six other versions of your boyfriend was a lot, and very, very distracting. Logan still had a plan set in mind, though.

While Roman had demanded he make a solo attempt at dinner, Logan gathered the courage to knock on Patton's bedroom door. After waiting a brief moment, Patton called out for Logan to enter. Logan peered in and found Patton remaking his bed with the blanket he had forcefully removed from it that morning. He looked up at Logan and smiled before turning back and tugging at his blanket in an attempt to even it out. "Whatcha need, Lo?"

"Ah, well. I know in a few days, you will be off from work and I will be as well. I have checked the approaching weather forecasts and the weather should be agreeable. I was just curious if you so wish to accompany me to..." Logan trailed off as Patton slowly looked up and started smiling brightly at him, giving Logan his full attention. "To the, uh..." He quickly cleared his throat. "To the art center across town. They have food trucks and we can have lunch and it's mostly outdoors with sculptures with some paintings on the inside."

"Really? I haven't been there! You like art?"

Logan shrugged and looked away, still pleading his heart to calm down now that he managed to get through asking Patton out. What was so hard about asking out someone you're already dating? Though, his heart was more fluttery this time than it had been the first time Logan had asked. "I may not fully understand the paintings, but the structures are usually so elaborate and don't seem like they would work, but they do, and once you know the math behind how they can balance and move in impossible ways, it's fascinating! It's one of my favorite places to go and it has a few gardens." Logan looked up at Patton who seemed enamored at the idea already. "It reminds me a bit of that arboretum you took me to a few months back and now that the weather is nicer again, I wish to repay the favor by taking you to one of my favorite places."

"That sounds so exciting, I'd love to! We can make a whole day out of it! I'm in, it's a date!"

"Oh, good! I was unsure if you would approve, it is rather difficult coming up with new date ideas every time."

As Logan let out a sigh of relief, Patton chuckled and walked around his now-freshly-made bed. "Lo, we don't have to go do something for it to be a date! As long as we're together and enjoying ourselves, that's all that matters." Patton reached for Logan's hands and held them between the two of them. "I love spending time with you and getting to talk to you."

"Ah. Well. Perhaps after dinner, when Virgil and Roman go out for the night, we can meet up in my room and, uh, hang out?"

Patton nodded excitedly. "Sounds like a plan! Come on, let's see how the others are doing with dinner!"

Patton turned to walk off and kept one hand grasped in Logan's to pull him along. However, when he tugged at Logan's hand, the other did not move. Patton looked over his shoulder at Logan who stared down at their hands, a familiar look on his face. He was deep in thought, about what Patton wasn't sure.

"Patton." Logan followed their hands up Patton's arm until their eyes met. "How was your day today? How are you really doing?"

Patton felt his smile feel heavy and slide into a frown, not attempting to look away from the other. There was nothing for him to hide, not from Logan. "I'm okay. I'm not better; I probably won't be for a while," Patton confessed. Logan looked back down at their joined hands as he spoke. "I probably haven't been for a while..."

Logan held Patton's hand tighter and looked back up looking far more determined this time. "I know, but I'll be there for you. We can get through this together, okay?"

Patton smiled and nodded, squeezing back. "We both need a bit of work, but that's okay, isn't it? Because we have people there to help us when we really need it."

Logan and Patton checked on how dinner preparation was going to find Roman doing fairly well by himself. Virgil was trying to help but every step of the way, Roman told him to relax. Virgil settled for setting the table while Logan kept Patton distracted so Virgil didn't try to help his boyfriend too much.

Things went great as they all talked and laughed. Virgil shared his sympathies with Logan as they retold the stories of the day and Roman complained. He talked about all the boring paperwork and the messes he was still sorting through that had been left before he filled the position.

Patton retold his day starting from the text he sent Logan before they invaded his closet. Everything was put away exactly how it had been, but Patton and all the Pals had fun being silly like they used to do when they were younger before everything started to get complicated. Roman offered to help next time by letting them borrow his wardrobe and even doing their makeup a little. He had some stage makeup and costumes he could borrow from the theater and Roman could provide the lights like a light show with his powers and make a whole event of it.

Roman turned to Virgil as things died down, asking if they would still go out for the night. Rolling his eyes, Virgil nodded. Logan offered to do the dishes as thanks since Roman had cooked and Virgil took care of it that morning. Roman ran off to get changed and Virgil sat on the couch, waiting for him to emerge.

"Oh, Virgil! I had the most brilliant idea!" Virgil looked up from his phone to spot Roman, half dressed in his Prince Charging outfit, holding up an old hoodie of Virgil's. "So, you left this in my room and I had a thought that I think you might like."

"No," Virgil turned back to his phone and kept scrolling.

"Wha- but you don't even know what it is!"

"Doesn't matter, I already don't like it."

"Aww, come ooooon, at least hear me out!" Virgil glanced up and watched as Roman pulled out his old mask from his previous outfit. "So, I was thinking, we could-"

"Not a chance."

Roman approached the couch before dropping to his knees. "Just one night! You don't have to follow me around on rooftops and we can spend some time actually together! If you don't like it, you'll never have to do it again!" Roman whined. Virgil tried keeping his attention on his phone and ignoring Roman as much as he could before he glanced up. He met the full brunt of Roman's pleading eyes, begging for him to give in. Virgil groaned and rolled his eyes before reaching out and grabbing the mask away from Roman, ripping the hoodie from his hands as well. "Oh, yay!"

"Not a word, Princey."

"Of course, my Dark Knight."

Virgil groaned and went into his room while Roman gathered the last of his belongings and put on the remainder of his costume. He grabbed his backpack full of supplies and the burner phone he always took with him and waited impatiently on the couch.

When Virgil's door opened, he stepped out and shoved his hands in his old worn, purple hoodie. His hair was messier and he had put on black eyeshadow around his eyes so they blended into the plain black mask Roman had used to wear before Virgil gave him a major upgrade.

There were a few more extra touches and Roman immediately knew Virgil must have stopped time and given himself some time to change things.The back of his old hoodie had a lightning bolt coming out of a cloud painted on it as well as a few minor adjustments. The hoodie looked the same besides a few minor tears had been repaired and Virgil had dug out an old dark gray scarf that was wrapped around his neck.

Virgil looked up at Roman before quickly glancing away. "Don't laugh and let's just go."

"No, wait!" Virgil didn't look up as Roman admired the minimalistic costume he had managed rather quickly. If he hadn't just handed that hoodie back to Virgil, he would have assumed that he had this already made in case of an emergency... or for fun. Virgil did love superheroes and comic books, almost as much as he hated the idea of Roman being one. "You look great! Did you just throw this together? This is amazing."

Virgil glanced up and smiled, pulling up his scarf to hide his blushing face. "I guess you could say... You've got me pulled in a new direction?"

Roman gasped dramatically as he smiled. "The Addams Family Musical!?"

"Shut up and let's go."

Virgil stopped time and reached over to pull Roman out with him. They left the apartment and headed downtown a bit. It became easier to start the nights like this to avoid anyone following them to or from their home. Once they agreed they were a fair distance away, they found a place to hide and start time once more.

Roman was immediately giddy and full of energy with Virgil there. He couldn't wait to spend their time-saving people together! It was like a dream come true! Virgil, on the other hand, felt tense and anxious. He immediately texted Patton that they were out in case of an emergency, but he couldn't help feeling like something just had to go wrong. Though, as Roman talked, Virgil did ease up a bit. They walked down the streets and a few people called out to Roman, shouting his hero name at him which earned them a wave and a smile back.

"Oh, you're eating this up."

"Quiet! It's not every day I get to enjoy this, you know." Roman playfully pushed Virgil before taking off a bit quicker down the street. "This way, I'm sure there's something down here!"

Virgil jogged to catch up, not liking the idea of Roman running headfirst into danger any more than he did when he watched it from a safe distance away. Roman paused a few times before continuing on and eventually slowing down at a darker, less populated street. He pulled down his backpack and held it out for Virgil before walking down the street on high alert. His hands were tense as he made fists, small sparks threatening to shoot off in case something bad happened.

Eventually, Roman slowed down as he approached a stoop and saw someone sitting on the steps, their hands holding their head as it hung, their body shaking with silent sobs. Roman stood up taller, holding his hand out for Virgil to stop. "Hey, you alright?" The form didn't acknowledge him and Roman turned around, waving silently for the backpack. Virgil handed it over, watching carefully as Roman dug out a water bottle and kneeled down. "Hey, here. Take this, it'll help."

The figure looked up and wiped his eyes before spotting the water bottle. He glanced up a bit more and gasped at the sight of Prince Charging smiling sadly as he offered it. "You! Y-you're..."

With a smile and a nod, the Prince shook the water bottle and offered it once more. "You should stay hydrated."

With a shaking hand, they reached out and grabbed the water bottle before hugging it close to their chest. "Thanks." Their eyes flickered up to Virgil's and widened before looking back at the prince. "What, uh... what are you doing here? And whose that?"

"Ahh, that's my partner!" Virgil scoffed but smiled, appreciating not being called a sidekick. "And I go out and help those in need. You, my friend, look like someone in need."

"It's stupid, you should go do important things, like stopping muggers or something, right?" They looked unsure as they glanced down at the water bottle before opening it up. "This was great, thanks."

Roman frowned and stood up before turning and sitting on the stairs next to the kid. "A simple water bottle isn't helping you. That's like putting a bandaid on a pothole." They looked up at Prince and smirked for a minute before it fell once more. "What's your name?"

"Uh, Jay."

"Nice to meet you, Jay. Now, is there anything we can do to help?"

Jay looked up at Virgil before looking at the Prince once more. "Is he your boyfriend?" They both jumped and Jay immediately started to panic. "I mean, because there were rumors you had one and I was just curious because I never heard about you going out with someone before! I'm sorry. That wasn't cool of me to ask."

"Uh..." Roman shot Virgil a panicked look, unsure what to do. Virgil looked from Jay to Roman before shrugging and nodding back. "Yeah, actually, he is. Didn't know my little stunt with the fan club made that so well known."

"Oh, uh. That's dope. Nah, it didn't really. I'm just, you know. A fan, I guess." Roman immediately lit up and Virgil sighed before slapping his hand against his face. "We talk after meetings and stuff and they mentioned you stopped by once before going on a date with some dude."

"Yes, my dark knight here practically begged me to-" Roman saw the glare Virgil was sending him through his mask and grit his teeth. "Uh, begged me to stop asking myself, actually." Roman felt his face heat up as Jay snickered and wiped away at his eyes. "I think he only gave in just to hear me stop nagging him."

"Well, I mean..." They turned toward Virgil who ducked his head away at the attention. "True."

Roman scoffed loudly and huffed after, causing Jay to chuckle a little. "Well, I never!"

"You have, now." Virgil stuck his tongue out and crossed his arms over his chest as he smiled.

Roman turned back to Jay and watched as they seemed to loosen up a bit. "So, how can us two dashing heroes help you tonight?"

"Ah, it's really nothing. Just a bunch of stress, I guess. It seems kind of stupid now that I think about it." Jay smiled and wiped away their tears. "Just one small, stupid thing pushing me over the edge, but I feel so much better now that I let it out."

"Good," Virgil shifted the weight on his feet and shoved his hands into his hoodie. "There's nothing wrong with crying. It's just your body responding to a large amount of one emotion. That's why people happy cry and stuff."

Jay smiled the most they had all night and took a deep breath, fiddling with their water bottle. "That really helps to know, thanks." They turned to Roman and pulled out their phone. "Yo, can I get a photo?"

"Absolutely!" Roman stood up and brushed his hair a bit before smiling at Virgil. "How do I look?"

"Like a dork," Virgil responded.

Jay laughed and held up their phone. "Quick, I don't have too much battery left."

"Oh, here, let me." Roman reached up and held the phone for them as it made an alert that it began to charge.

"Yo, man! You can charge phones? That's lit but so unfair!"

"You're telling me!" Virgil called out. "I sometimes leave my phone on him when he naps."

"Wha-hey! That's so not cool! I am not your personal battery!"

"Yeah, you are."

Jay nodded in agreement. "It's the dating rules. You get his clothes, he gets to charge his phone on your unconscious, sleeping body."

"Let's just take the photo, I don't know if I like you as much anymore!"

They joked around a bit more before Roman started getting antsy to move, eager for more adventures. He grabbed his backpack and they waved Jay goodnight before walking off into the night once more.

Virgil waited until Jay was out of earshot to speak. "You know, I never get to really see what you do when you stop and talk to people." Virgil eyed the backpack that hung over Roman's shoulder. "Is that why you carry that? You just pass out snacks and water and talk to random strangers?"

"Well, yeah. That's what makes a good hero, right? To help those in need. Why would I ignore those in need of emotional support? Sure, I can't be there for them all the time, but I can certainly be there for what time I can offer."

Virgil walked just a step behind Roman so he could let him lead. If it was also convenient for Virgil to watch Roman subtly without his knowing, then so be it. Roman walked a bit differently in his costume and it was much more noticeable up close than it was watching from a distance. Roman stood taller, prouder, marching down the streets with a smile on his face. He was eager to jump into every situation, but it wasn't because he was a glutton for danger. Up close, you could see Roman's eyes through his mask as he looked at everyone he passed. Every person was assessed by Prince Charging before he made his way onward, truly looking for those who needed his help. While Virgil couldn't write down how Roman's powers worked on paper, it seemed Roman didn't care much for the minute details. They worked for him and what he wanted and that's all he needed. He wasn't looking for any more answers because he was capable of helping others the way he was now. Unlike Logan who wanted to learn more about their abilities, Roman was simply content being who he was. Something about that behavior just seemed refreshing to Virgil. It made him ease up and relax a bit around Prince Charging as much as it did Roman, even though the Prince certainly would get into more danger in comparison.

Virgil tugged at the hood of his sweater to make sure it was still up and adjusted his scarf. His makeshift outfit was warm and he could feel himself overheating a little bit. It definitely didn't have anything to do with him trailing behind Prince Charging, watching him and thinking about how truly kind he was and just how lucky Virgil was to have him. To think that just a year ago, they were at each other's throats. They had met and immediately didn't get along, a far cry to what they were now. Though, the bickering just took a softer tone.

The night was fairly calm despite the fact Virgil was on edge just waiting for something to go wrong. Some people called out to the Prince, some took photos, but the tension eased up as time went. Roman didn't stop any big crimes, mostly just by appearing made people scatter. They ventured farther out than they normally did as they talked, a bit distracted, but the rest of the night was pretty dull. Virgil had to admit, being with Princey instead of at a distance was much more enjoyable, but perhaps he was a bit biased. It was almost like a silly date as they wore masks and took a stroll through the streets.

Eventually, the night grew into early morning as the sky started to shift brighter with the inevitable rising sun. Virgil let out a big yawn, which in turn caused Roman to yawn. Sunrise was in a short few hours, but Virgil always slept in stopped time if Roman was with him. He hardly ever napped in stopped time by himself anymore unless Roman joined him. It wasn't every night, sometimes he still feared what could happen while he was asleep with everything frozen, but having Roman definitely helped ease his anxieties.

"I think we should call it, Princey," Virgil said, watching Roman blink rapidly as he tried to keep his eyes open. "It's late and we need to get to bed. Besides, you're too tired to actually fight like this."

"Pish posh, I could if I had to." Roman yawned once more and covered it with the back of his hand. "Perhaps you are right, we should head back. This prince is royally exhausted."

"Mmm, I'm up for napping in stopped time if you are."

"Ohh!" Roman perked up immediately. "Can we make a fort in the living room? That would be wonderful!"

"Sure, I'll go set it up. You stay here so I can just grab you, okay? It'll just be a few, I'm definitely washing this crud off my face before I pass out." Virgil pulled up a map on his phone to check their current location so he knew where to return to pick Roman up before shutting his eyes.

Virgil disappeared in the blink of an eye to Roman as he reappeared back in their apartment. Time would have to be unfrozen to be able to wash his face, so a quiet moment of concentration, a shift and a stumble later, and Virgil had time moving once more. He quietly walked to the bathroom to wash off the eye makeup and swipe all the blankets and pillows from both of their beds. He dragged them all out into the living room and moved the coffee table out of the way. After he made a bit more room, Virgil threw down everything in somewhat of a pile. Satisfied it would be enough for now, since Roman will just change everything to his liking the second they got back anyway, Virgil tossed on the mask for good measure and closed his eyes, thinking back to where he had left Roman.

He blinked and looked around before looking down at his phone. Roughly ten minutes had passed and he was in the exact location he had left, but there was nothing around him and certainly no sign of Roman. The street looked as barren as it did when he left, the street lamps dimly lighting the road. "Princey, where the hell did you go?" Virgil grumbled to himself as he walked around. Virgil checked the nearby street before deciding that starting time and calling out to him would probably be faster than aimlessly searching for his prince.

The familiar dizzy feeling of time starting back up passed quickly before Virgil cupped his hands over his mouth. "Princey, time to go!" He waited a moment and spun around before doing it again. "Come on, Princey! I'm not waiting for you forever!"

The cries of cars passing in the distance and wind between buildings was all that responded to Virgil's calls. His voice echoed a bit off of the buildings, but Virgil wasn't trying to scream too loud. It was still the middle of the night, after all. It remained quiet, which had been soothing earlier with Roman. With the prince missing, however, a pit of worry started to grow inside Virgil's chest. He immediately dug for his phone and unlocked it while trying to steady his heart. Virgil was trying not to jump to conclusions too soon. "Last time you disappeared when I told you to wait, you got tasered. I swear to God, Princey..." Virgil tapped on the contact number for the burner phone they kept in the backpack and put it to his ear as he began to pace down the street where he had left Roman once more. He paused as he heard a faint noise and pulled his phone away from his ear while looking around. He started to walk toward the noise, the ringing... Virgil started to run.

A painfully familiar plain backpack was tossed on the side of the road where the noise was originating from and Virgil ripped it open before pulling out the phone that was ringing inside. "Are you fuckingkidding me?!" He stood up and spun around once more. "PRINCEY!"

His voice echoed down the streets as his heart began pounding in his chest. "No, no no no no no!" Virgil shut his eyes and stumbled forward almost effortlessly catching himself as he stopped time once again. "I swear Roman, I'm going to kill you when I get my hands on you!" He started sprinting down the streets, looking at everything as he raced by. Time was stopped, but he still felt like he needed to act quickly before something dreadful happened. Or, perhaps, before something else dreadful happened.

"Roman! Damnit, Roman!" Virgil started panting as he shouted, knowing that calling out would not be helpful in the slightest. No one else could hear him, but Virgil felt better in at least making the attempt. "ROMAN! THIS BETTER BE SOME KIND OF JOKE! I'M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS, YOU HEAR ME?! I-"

Virgil stumbled and stopped, his arms flailing at his sides as he regained his balance. He had spotted a speck of white and red in his peripheral vision and had hoped, prayed it was Roman. Turning, Virgil's breath caught in his throat for a moment at the sight before him, his heart pounding so hard he thought it would give out on him right there.

Roman seemed fine at first glance, except for the fact that he had a red mark across his cheek like someone had gotten a good punch in. Oh, and he was unconscious .

And he was being lifted and stuffed into some unmarked van by a group of people in black ski masks.

So, apparently, he was being kidnapped as well.

Great. Fantastic.

Virgil was going to kill him if they didn't get the chance to first... after he panicked.